Episode 218: Understanding Heart Rate Variability and the Impact on Strength Training with Chris Chapman

This week, Chris Chapman, WHOOP Senior Sports Scientist, and WHOOP VP of Performance Science & Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes, discuss the interrelationship between strength training and one of the key metrics on WHOOP - HRV.

Ever wonder how your HRV is affected by strength training? Or how it can influence exertion and performance? WHOOP Senior Sports Scientist and Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Big Air / Slopestyle Steam for Freestyle Ski Canada, Chris Chapman, joins WHOOP VP of Performance Science & Principal Scientist, Kristen Holmes, to dig into how to program an effective strength training routine that considers your body's biometrics, and evaluates the implications different strength training routines can have on your heart rate variability. Chris shares more about how he considers HRV when programming training for his elite athletes, all while sharing how anyone can benefit from a strength and recovery routine. Want to see your questions answered? Email us – Podcast@whoop.com – or you can call our listener line (508-443-4952) and leave a voicemail, and your question might be answered on a future episode.

EPISODE CHAPTERS:

• 3:40 - How Chris got into HRV and applying it to training
• 7:35 - How to assess training readiness in athletes
• 12:30 - Components of a strength training program
• 18:45 - What is HRV and why it’s important
• 26:15 - How HRV is impacted by strength training
• 34:00 - How people are adapting their HRV
• 45:45 - How HRV can influence exertion and performance
• 48:15 - Recovery tools and tips
• 54:15 - Dealing with stress while training
• 1:00:20 - How age influences HRV

Resources:

Oliveira 2019 Williams 2020 Thamm 2019 Flatt 2019 Figeuiredo 2015 Marasingha 2022